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The floor function $\lfloor x\rfloor$ and $((x))$ are intimately linked in computing Dedekind sums - which led me the quest below.

My current interest lies in this:

QUESTION. Assume $a, b, c$ are positive real numbers. Is this inequality true? $$\lfloor 3a\rfloor+\lfloor 3b\rfloor+\lfloor 3c\rfloor\geq 2\lfloor a\rfloor+2\lfloor b\rfloor+2\lfloor c\rfloor+\lfloor a+b+c\rfloor.$$

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    $\begingroup$ It's enough to assume $\{a,b,c\}\subset[0,1).$ $\endgroup$ Commented May 4, 2023 at 18:10
  • $\begingroup$ Yes, very true. $\endgroup$ Commented May 4, 2023 at 18:12

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As mentioned by @MichaelRozenberg, we may assume $\{a,b,c\}\subset[0,1)$.

So write $a=\frac i3+\alpha$, $b=\frac j3+\beta$, $c=\frac k3+\gamma$, where $i\in\{0,1,2\}$, $j\in\{0,1,2\}$, $k\in\{0,1,2\}$, and $\alpha\in[0,\frac13)$, $\beta\in[0,\frac13)$, $\gamma\in[0,\frac13)$. The LHS of your inequality is $$\lfloor i+3\alpha\rfloor +\lfloor j+3\beta\rfloor+\lfloor k+3\gamma\rfloor=i+j+k,$$ while the RHS of your inequality is $$\left\lfloor \frac{i+j+k}3 +\alpha+\beta+\gamma\right \rfloor.$$ Now $0\le\alpha+\beta+\gamma<1$ so $i+j+k= \lfloor i+j+k+\alpha+\beta+\gamma\rfloor$. The inequality follows from the fact that $i+j+k\ge \frac{i+j+k}3$.

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    $\begingroup$ You may apply the pair of \left and \right modifiers to make \lfloor and \rfloor automagically adjust their size to the height of an expression between them. For example, \lfloor\frac k3\rfloor results in $$\lfloor\frac k3\rfloor$$ whilst \left\lfloor\frac k3\right\rfloor looks like $$\left\lfloor\frac k3\right\rfloor$$ $\endgroup$
    – CiaPan
    Commented May 4, 2023 at 18:42
  • $\begingroup$ Thanks! I knew that for parentheses, brackets and braces but somehow didn't think it applied to delimiters like \lfloor and \langle $\endgroup$
    – grand_chat
    Commented May 4, 2023 at 18:52
  • $\begingroup$ It also works for vertical bars. Additionally, it can be applied to a single symbol, but then you need to add a phoney empty symbol (use a dot for it), which completes a pair delimiting an expression. Example (just for formatting; no mathematical sense implied): \frac{\sqrt{1\times\frac 1x}}3 + \left.\frac xy\right|_{x=1}^5 makes $$\frac{\sqrt{1\times\frac 1x}}3 + \left.\frac xy\right|_{x=1}^5$$ The left-dot and right-bar delimit the x/y ratio, so the bar fits that ratio's height only, despite the left addend being higher. $\endgroup$
    – CiaPan
    Commented May 4, 2023 at 19:25

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